10 Reflections from 2018

This year has flown by and there are a ton of things I’ve learned about myself as a writer in 2018. Here are the top 10.

Find your Niche: As a journalist and mother, I struggled to find the “right way” to write news. I learned to pave my own path and write about parenting and the struggles of women.
Care about your Cause: This year I wrote about domestic violence, which affects 1:3 women at least once in their lifetime in the U.S. I also wrote about how to speak with children about domestic violence here.
Be Brave: This year I connected with people who like me, see a void in the coverage of people of color. Therefore I have attempted to write more about ideas and topics through my lenses such as raising my Bangladeshi family in the U.S.
Dare to Dream: This year was a “Year of Yes” for me. Like Shonda Rhimes, I took a chance to say yes to opportunities. This year I took a leap of faith when I applied for the Feet in Two World and WDET 101.9 FM food journalism fellowship. I was accepted with three other women of color to write about food and immigration. #representationmatters
Embrace Radio Journalism: Radio journalism wasn’t the beginning, nor will it be the end to my writing journey. It has however given me a chance to tell stories in a different light. My first piece aired on WDET’s CultureShift.
Commit to Yourself: This year I launched my website nargishrahman.com and my Instagram and Facebook page, Nargis The Writer, to showcase my work and inspiration.
“Why Not Me?”: This year I applied for a few positions in various roles to see whether my voice would add depth to these spaces. I was chosen as one of the Muslim representatives for Wayne State University’s marketing pictures and a commercial. As a mother, I often second-guessed the spaces I “should” or “should not” be in.
Lift Others Up: One of my personal goals is to showcase that women across the board go through similar struggles. I wrote articles about mompreneurs and the top 10 American Muslim women in 2018 to follow.
Keep Calm and Carry On: The most important lesson I learned this year, is not to look back. Every step you take is one step closer to your goals.
Take Time to Reflect: With every important task in life, it is essential to examine, evaluate and adjust your efforts to match your goals. For me, that includes spending time with my family and close friends to recharge and become a better version of myself.